Cigarette dispenser



June 24, 1969 H. E. BUTLER CIGARETTE DISPENSER Filed Oct. 6. 1967 f/O Veni-02* United States Patent 3,451,533 CIGARETTE DISPENSER Henry E. Butler, 107 Glen Ave., Scotia, N.Y. 12302 Filed Oct. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 673,396 Int. Cl. B65d 37/00 U.S. Cl. 20S-38 5 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A waterproof cigarette holder for woodsmen with a rotary cartridge assembly for dispensing cigarettes downwardly and incorporating a central ash tray and butt receptacle.

Background of the invention This invention relates to a rotary waterproof dispenser for cigarettes which is designed primarily for the hunter or woodsman and which has improved features especially adapted for the prevention of forest `fires caused by otherwise careless smoking habits.

Hunters require a means to obtain a cigarette while remaining alert. In inclement weather this is especially difiicult and there is a need to keep a supply of cigarettes dry and close at hand.

Smoking in the forests has its disadvantages, however. Too often a carelessly discarded cigarette butt will start a forest re, causing extensive damage. There is a need for incorporating into a cigarette holder a receptacle which will encourage disposal of ashes and butts therein, and which at the same time is convenient to use in the woods.

Although rotary cigarette dispensers have been suggested in the prior art, these have usually been stationary upward feeding devices, usually rather complicated and consisting of many parts. Since they feed upward through a top opening they are inherently unsuitable for outside portable use in rain or foul weather.

Although self-contained ash trays in cigarette dispensers have also been suggested in the prior art, the very convenient and otherwise wasted central bore in a rotary dispenser has not been employed for this purpose.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved waterproof rotary cigarette dispenser with a self-contained ash receptacle arranged to encourage deposition of live butts so as to reduce the likelihood of forest fires.

Drawing Other objects and advantages will become apparent by reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. l is an overall perspective view of the dispenser;

FIG. 2 is a top view;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-section;

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-section, taken along lines IV-IV of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-section showing a modiiication.

Summmy of the invention Briey stated, the invention comprises a cylindrical member with an array of outer holes for containing cigarettes disposed circumferentially about -a central hole for an ash tray, the central hole opening only at the top end of the member, the outer holes opening only at the bottom end of the member, and a casing with a bottom hole for registry with one of the outer holes in the cylindrical member when the cylindrical member and casing are rotated relative to one another.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the cigarette holder, shown generally at 1, is primarily composed of only two parts, a non-rotatable casing 2 and a rotatable ICC cylindrical member 3. The casing 2 is adapted by means of a clip 4 to lit over a coat pocket or belt. The cylindrical member 3 lits inside the casing and has an integral overhanging rim 5 for ease of rotation with the hand to withdraw cigarettes 6.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4 of the drawing, the cylindrical member 3 has central hole 7 along its axis which is open at the top of the holder as indicated at 7a. Disposed around the hole 7 in circular array are a number of circumferentially spaced cylindrical holes 8. These are deep enough to accommodate the currently popular length of cigarette, but are open only at the bottom of the cylindrical member as indicated at 8a. This is an important aspect of the invention insofar as its watertight construction and simplicity are concerned.

The outer surface of the cylindrical member may incorporate grooves 9 along all or a portion of its length to act as detents for proper registry. The integral rim 5 overhangs and is spaced from the member proper so as t0 receive the end of casing 2. The rim may also incorporate an inwardly directed circumferential bead 5a to assist in holding members 2, 3 together.

The construction of casing 2 is quite simple. It comprises a cannistei with cylindrical wall 10, integral or attached bottom plate 11 with a single olf-center hole 12 therein. Hole 12 is arranged to register with each one of the holes 8 `as the cylindrical member is turned to each respective detent position.

A modified form of the invention may be seen by reference to the partial cross-section shown in FIG. 5. There the role of casing and cylindrical member as to rotatability have been reversed. The clip 4 is attached to rim 5 of cylindrical member 3 so that the cylindrical member is held non-rotatable. The casing 2 then becomes the rotatable member and the circumferential bead 5a prevents it from sliding olf but does not prevent rotation.

In both embodiments, the material of both the cylindrical member 3 and the casing 2 is preferably of clear plastic of the type which will withstand heat. However, lower temperature plastic can be employed if a metal liner is used as indicated at 14 in FIG. 5. Such a liner could also be used in FIGS. l-4.

Operation and advantages To load the holder with cigarettes, the cylindrical member 3 is simply pulled upward from the casing 2, this being permitted by the elasticity of rim 5, Member 3 is inverted, cigarettes are loaded into holes 8, and the casing is replaced over the member 3.

The holder is hung on the pocket or belt by clip 4 and when a cigarette is desired, the cylindrical member is rotated with one hand lby rim 5. The cigarette is dispensed downwardly by gravity into the other hand. During smoking the ashes are disposed of in the central hole 7 and after smoking the live butt-is disposed of in the same location. This is an important feature -of the invention inasmuch as the central aperture in the rotary dispenser serves as a convenient receptacle for the by-products of smoking, which are one of the greatest sources of re in the woods. Also in keeping with the design of the cigarette holder for Sportsmen, woodsmen and hunters, the fact that the holes 8 do not extend through the cylinder 3, makes the holder completely impervious to rain or moisture. Also of importance to the hunter who must remain alert, cigarettes can be dispensed to the hand quickly and with little effort.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A waterproof holder and dispenser for cigarettes, comprising:

a single-piece cylindrical member defining a central hole along its axis and also dening a plurality of circumferentially spaced outer holes disposed in a circular array about the central hole, said outer holes being open only at the bottom of the member and said central hole being .open only at the top of the member, and

a casing having a cylindrical wall adapted to house and support the cylindrical member for rotation relative to the casing and a bottom plate covering said outer hole openings, said bottom plate having a single hole therein adapted to register with one of the outer holes at a time.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said casing includes a clip member for attaching the casing to an article of clothing to render the casing nonrotatable and wherein the cylindrical member is rotatable to dispense cigarettes.

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said cylindrical member includes a clip member for attaching the cylindrical member to an article of clothing to render the cylindrical member non-rotatable and wherein the casing is rotatable to dispense cigarettes.

4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the cylindrical member defines an overhanging rim at the 4 top end thereof, spaced radially from the member proper and terminating in a circumferential bead adapted to receive and resiliently hold the upper end of the casing for rotation.

5. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the cylindrical member and casing are each formed from integral pieces of clear heat-resistant plastic and wherein said central bore includes a metal liner.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,444,308 2/ 1923 Dunning.

1,560,243 ll/l925 Kaczorowski.

2,415,588 2/1947 Gui 1206-38 2,4l8,l88 4/ 1947 Nixon.

3,378,134 4/1968 Wilkinson etal 206l6 WILLIAM T. DIXSON, IR., Primary Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 20G-41.2 

